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Force lightning
Palpatine projecting Force lightning at Luke Skywalker, 4 ABY.]] Force Lightning was a well known, Force ability most often used by practitioners of the dark side of the Force, especially the Sith. Because of this association, the ability was commonly referred to as Sith Lightning.Jedi vs. Sith: The Essential Guide to the Force Description Yoda absorbs Count Dooku's Force lightning using the Force.]] Force lightning was a purely offensive, energy-based attack that channeled Force energy down the user's limbs, hurling arcing bolts of electricity from the wielder's fingertips or palms; Force lightning could be executed with either one or two hands.Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the ClonesStar Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi Powerful discharges would branch out into dozens of smaller forks; thus, skilled practitioners could target several foes at once.Star Wars Empire: Betrayal The intensity varied based on a number of factors. A skilled user could render a target unconscious with only a short burst. A single, powerful blast was sufficient to kill a person instantly. Darth Bane's lightning, for example would often electrocute his opponents to death on contact. The fact that it caused not only severe physical damage but also unbearable agony to the victim's emotions and spirit led to it being widely used as a form of torture. Palpatine, at the Battle of Endor repeatedly assaulted Luke Skywalker with the lightning. Depending on the level of intensity, Force lightning could ground itself on an ignited lightsaber, with no apparent ill effect on the lightsaber's operation.Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith Powerful light-siders were sometimes able to resist the attack, or even block the lightning completely. Mace Windu, with his lightsaber combat form Vaapad, could reflect the lightning back to its source with a "superconducting loop". It required tremendous effort on the reflector's part, however, as seen in Windu's battle with Palpatine; Windu was seemingly able to overcome Palpatine's lightning, however it may have simply been a ruse by Palpatine. Force lightning could also be absorbed and redirected by a Jedi of sufficient skill; Yoda demonstrated this ability by both deflecting and absorbing the dark power during battles with Count Dooku and Emperor Palpatine, using nothing more than his own two hands. Galen Marek was also able to block Palpatine's lightning with only his bare hands and keep walking towards him at the same time. Luke Skywalker attempted this, and succeeded for a short amount of time, before the Emperor's attack overwhelmed him.''Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi'' novelization There existed an advanced version of Force lightning which may have been used by the Jedi Exile and Revan in the Jedi Civil War. Its destructive potential was legendary; the apocalyptic power was known as Force StormStar Wars: Knights of the Old RepublicStar Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords. Marek used this power on the giant sarlaac during his fight with Shaak Ti. Effect of Force lightning Azlyn Rae and Darth Krayt, suffering the effects of Force lightning.]] Though the short-term effects of Force lightning are obvious, the sheer power invoked by its use could have insidious long-term effects, both on those subjected to its power and those who would wield it. Prolonged exposure to intense electrical fields (such as a sustained current of Force lightning) caused most humanoids to experience sudden and massive calcification of their skeletal system; the abrupt drop in blood minerals provoked muscular microseizures all over the victim's body. Telltale symptoms included generalized muscle aches and double vision. A blood test or bioscan could be used to confirm the diagnosis. Unless the victim received complete bed rest and appropriate medical treatment, the disorder would become chronic, lingering for years (barring timely bacta immersion). Luke Skywalker, who was diagnosed with the disorder by 4 ABY was confined to a hoverchair for his trip to Bakura during the Ssi-Ruuk invasion, mere days after his near-fatal encounter with Palpatine.Truce at Bakura It is thought that very intense use of Force lightning could drain the user physically, and possibly result in severe facial and body deformations. The deformities Palpatine displayed after unleashing a barrage of Force lightning on Mace Windu, only to have it reflected back upon him by the Jedi Master's lightsaber may be an example of this. Palpatine comments, however, that the scarred visage he has is his "real" face, and that his former look was a mask.Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith When Anakin Skywalker redeemed himself and killed the Emperor, his life support circuitry was critically damaged, leaving him a heavy and lifeless quadriplegic.Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi Besides draining the user's energy, Force lightning had the added drawback of occasionally charring the hand of the person who used it. When Jacen Solo flew into a rage underneath the ruins of the Jedi Temple on Yuuzhan'tar and attacked his Yuuzhan Vong pursuers with Force lightning, he later found that the blasts had burned charred holes in his palm. Unlike other users of Force lightning, Jacen was untested with the ability, and it is possible that Force users more experienced with the technique can prevent this. It is also possible that the sheer intensity with which Jacen lashed out at his attackers caused the power to exceed his capacity to restrain it, which might also explain his sudden subsequent unconsciousness.Traitor Very powerful blasts of Force lightning can highlight and illuminate the victim's skeleton, as shown with Mace Windu, Asajj Ventress and Darth Vader.Episode VI: Return of the JediStar Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith For unknown reasons, Force lightning (together with its various variants, such as Electric Judgment) was the only known Force power able to affect the Force-immune alien Yuuzhan Vong.Star by Star Use by Jedi Force lightning ability was not restricted to dark-siders. Jedi and other light-siders who were strong of will and character could learn this power without falling to the dark side—but its use was viewed as inherently corrupting, and most Jedi Councils forbade its use. Some Jedi nonetheless refused to dismiss the natural power of this ability. Plo Koon used this ability (which he called Electric Judgment) to subdue a criminal named Pommel, who had taken a hostage. Koon used Force lightning to knock Pommel out, yet claimed to have no plans to experiment with it in the future. Some members of the New Jedi Order such as Kyle Katarn and Jaden Korr also used Force lightning (colloquially known as "Emerald Lightning"), but it remained very controversial. Other Jedi practitioners of this power have been Jaina Solo, Jacen Solo, and Luke Skywalker. Force lightning users blasts Deliah Blue and Jariah Syn with Force lightning.]] Force lightning required a living conduit for the energy to be channeled; thus Darth Vader, despite being an immensely powerful Sith Lord, was never able to properly employ this ability, as all his limbs were prosthetics.Revenge of the Sith: The Visual Dictionary There is, however, one case where Vader did use Force Lightning. When Vader was in close proximity to the presence of the Kaiburr Crystal on Circarpous V, the amplification effects of the Force caused his affinity with the dark side to expand. As a result, Vader was able to utilize this power, a feat normally impossible for him. Vader's cybernetics, as well as his artificial life support system, made him much more vulnerable to the damaging effects of Force lightning. This vulnerability would eventually contribute to his death. Darth Sidious was a master of the technique. He used Force lightning to punish Luke Skywalker for his refusal to join him, beginning with an agonizing but non-lethal quantity and working his way gradually upwards toward lethality. When Anakin Skywalker turned on the Emperor, Sidious used the lightning at a much higher intensity, yet Luke's father was still able to endure it long enough to hurl his master into the second Death Star's reactor shaft, perhaps because as the Chosen One, he may have still been far more powerful than Luke in order to bring balance to the Force.Episode VI: Return of the Jedi Darth Tyranus used the technique to incapacitate Anakin Skywalker during the Battle of Geonosis. He also attempted the technique on Obi-Wan Kenobi, who was able to block it with his lightsaber, and Master Yoda, who managed to reflect and dispel the energy with his bare hands. In addition, Tyranus utilized this power to stabilize the heartbeat of General Grievous after the Kaleesh's body was mangled in a shuttle crash.The Eyes of Revolution Darth Malak used Force lightning as a means of torture to turn Bastila Shan to the dark side. It was intended to give her a "taste" of the dark side's power.Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic using Force lightning.]] Jorak Uln, the former headmaster of the Sith Academy on Korriban who hid in the Valley of the Dark Lords during the Jedi Civil War, would sometimes kidnap and torture Sith students. One of his favorite games was testing his captives on Sith philosophy, punishing their failure with Force lightning, often until they were killed. Galen Marek, the former apprentice to Darth Vader, also used this power, even after his conversion to the light side of the Force. His mastery of this ability may have even rivaled that of Darth Sidious, as he was known to employ lightning in ways that had not been seen before. Marek could strike someone with a short burst of lightning and then cause it to magnify in their body, exploding and killing them. He would also Force grip an opponent and then electrocute them with a short burst of lightning, and then drop them on the ground, which would increase the electricity's lethality. Other Force-sensitives known to have used the power or its variants include: Variants of Force lightning Force Shock Force Shock was a Force power that allowed the user to create an energy spark that would track and damage the nearest enemy. The shock could be thrown at an opponent to stun and injure them, or could be set loose to track an opponent until it dissipates. The shock would not last more than five seconds or so before disappearing into a tiny burst of heat, but it was a useful technique for Sith apprentices. with Force Storm.]] Force Storm Force Storm was a Force lightning variant. The user would raise his palm upward and would create, through the Force, an explosion of electrical energy directed at all foes in the vicinity. It was used by both the Sith and Dark Jedi during the Jedi Civil War. It also appeared as a tornado of energy which created a great disturbance in the Force. Jedi could also join together to create a Force storm, though its use was frowned upon by more orthodox Jedi. Unlike the Force lightning, Force Storm was not limited to attacking enemies in one direction, as it affected all foes within a certain radius from the user. Revan and the Jedi Exile may have mastered this particular power. Darth Bane and Darth Sidious were also notable users of this power; Bane being able to call upon a nearly uncontrollable Force Storm shortly after having been taught the basics of Force Lightning by Githany, who herself had only learnt the power the same day from Qordis. Chain Lightning Chain Lightning was a variation of Force lightning with the difference being that the lightning was able to strike one person and then move to another or several others. As it was more powerful than the standard lightning, it required a greater amount of discipline and concentration to project and sustain the stream of lightning. The only confirmed users are the Force apparition known as Dark Mara and Galen Marek. Appearances *''The Betrayal of Darth Revan'' *''Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic'' *''Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords'' *''Darth Bane: Path of Destruction'' *''Darth Bane: Rule of Two'' *''Jedi vs. Sith'' *''Star Wars: Darth Maul'' *''Star Wars Republic: Twilight'' *''Star Wars Republic: Darkness'' *''Star Wars: Poison Moon'' *''Star Wars: Jedi Starfighter'' *''Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones'' / novel / game / junior novel *''Star Wars: Battlefront II'' *''Star Wars Battlefront: Renegade Squadron'' *''Star Wars: Galactic Battlegrounds'' *''Star Wars: Clone Wars'' **"Chapter 7" *''Dark Journey'' *''Star Wars Republic: Trackdown'' *''Star Wars Republic: The Siege of Saleucami'' * *''Labyrinth of Evil'' *''Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith'' / game / novel / junior novel *''Dark Lord: The Rise of Darth Vader'' *''Coruscant Nights III: Patterns of Force'' *''The Last of the Jedi: A Tangled Web'' *''The Force Unleashed'' novel *''Star Wars: The Force Unleashed'' video game *''Star Wars: The Force Unleashed'' comic *''Rebel Dawn'' *''Star Wars Empire: Betrayal'' *''Star Wars: Empire at War'' *''The Rise and Fall of Darth Vader'' *''Splinter of the Mind's Eye'' *''Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi'' / novel *''Star Wars -Phantasmagoria-'' *''The Truce at Bakura'' *''Shadows of the Empire: Evolution *''Star Wars: Jedi Knight: Dark Forces II'' *''Heir to the Empire'' *''Dark Force Rising'' *''The Last Command'' *''Dark Empire'' *''Jedi Knight: Mysteries of the Sith'' *''Star Wars: Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast *''Star Wars: Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy'' *''Star by Star'' *''Dark Journey'' *''Traitor'' *''The Apprentice'' *''The Joiner King'' *''Tempest'' *''Inferno'' *''Invincible'' *''Outcast'' *''Star Wars Legacy: Broken'' *''Star Wars Legacy 13: Ready to Die'' *''Star Wars Legacy 19: Claws of the Dragon, Part 6'' *''Star Wars Legacy 22: The Wrath of the Dragon'' *''Star Wars Legacy 23: Loyalties, Part 1'' *''Star Wars Legacy 31: Vector, Part 12'' *''Star Wars Legacy 34: Storms, Part 1'' }} Non-Canon Appearances *''LEGO Star Wars: The Video Game'' *''LEGO Star Wars: The Original Trilogy'' *''LEGO Star Wars: The Complete Saga'' *''Soulcalibur IV'' Sources *''Star Wars: The Power of the Force'' (1995) *''Tales of the Jedi Companion'' * * *Star Wars Galaxies Trading Card Game: Squadrons Over Corellia * *''The Complete Star Wars Encyclopedia'' Notes and references See also *Electric Judgment Category:Dark side Lightning de:Machtblitze es:Rayo de la Fuerza pl:Błyskawica Mocy